TORONTO – “I Play Rocky” is about the making of the classic boxing movie, but hockey fans may recognize a familiar face in the film, too.

Former NHL executive Brian Burke makes a brief cameo in the film, which recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to much fanfare.

“I Play Rocky” tells the story of how a young Sylvester Stallone wrote and then starred in the iconic 1976 film “Rocky.”

The film’s director Peter Farrelly says Burke is an old friend from Providence College in Rhode Island.

Farrelly says Burke visited the movie’s set in New Jersey and the longtime director decided to put him in a scene opposite the film’s star Anthony Ippolito, who plays Stallone.

Burke has worked for several NHL clubs, including the Vancouver Canucks, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames. He has also previously appeared as a TV analyst with Sportsnet.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2026.